Juan Soto promoted to Nationals

Juan Soto stood in the batter’s box, his right toe touching the ground with his heel just slightly off the dirt.

The left-handed hitter, with a 1-1 count against him, then smashed a home run to right field as a slight drizzle fell at Prince George’s Stadium in Bowie.

The Harrisburg (Pa.) Senators outfielder launched the home run Wednesday afternoon against Keegan Akin of the Bowie Baysox, one of the top left-handed pitchers in the Baltimore Orioles’ farm system.

The home run should come as no surprise for Soto, 19, the second-ranked player in the Nationals’ farm system who had been promoted three times already this year. He has moved up to the No. 15 prospect in the minor leagues, according to MLBpipeline.com.

“He has done a nice job of having a consistent approach on a daily basis. He has put himself in this position,” said Mark Scialabba, the director of player development for the Nationals.

Scialabba was sitting in the Bowie press box Wednesday, raving about Soto just a few minutes before he launched his second home run in seven games with Harrisburg.

On Sunday morning, Soto was promoted to the majors for the first time as pitcher Jefry Rodriguez was sent back to Harrisburg and outfielder Moises Sierra was designated for assignment.

But the call-up of Soto was in response to the injury of veteran Howie Kendrick, who hurt his right Achilles while playing left field for the Nationals in the eighth inning of the first game of a Saturday doubleheader against the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Soto hit .362 in 39 minor league games this season at three stops in the Nationals’ chain, with 10 doubles, four triples, 14 homers and 52 RBI.

Soto began the season with the low Single-A Hagerstown Suns of the South Atlantic League and was then promoted to high Single-A Potomac of the Carolina League. He was leading all minor league players in homers and RBI through Saturday.

Soto has played all three outfield positions in the minors this year but most likely will play left field for the Nationals. He was not in the starting lineup Sunday.

“He needs to improve on all facets defensively. He will play right field primarily,” Scialabba said before he was promoted. “We have to make sure he has learned the nuisances of all (three outfield) positions, like how to make throws from all angles, and he has done that.”

“The short little time I have seen him he is very mature,” Matt LeCroy, the Harrisburg manager and former Nationals bullpen coach, said Wednesday. “He has a mature approach about how he goes about his work every day. The little time I saw him in spring training I loved his approach. There are things he needs to work on (like) cleaning up on his baserunning and defense. So far he has held his own, and he has had some good at-bats.”

The Nationals began this year with solid depth in the outfield but have seen major league outfielders Adam Eaton, Brian Goodwin and now Kendrick come down with injuries.

Kendrick went on the 10-day disabled list Saturday with a right Achilles injury and told reporters he expects to be done for the season.

Matt Adams, normally a first baseman, has seen action in left this year as has young outfielder Andrew Stevenson and Sierra. Adams was the starter in left Sunday.

Outfielder Victor Robles, the No. 1 prospect in the Nationals’ farm system, injured his elbow in early April while with Triple-A Syracuse and has not played since.

Scialabba said Wednesday that Robles is doing his rehab program but would not speculate on his return.